butler



'W. A. BUTLER. ELECTRIC PROPULSION 0P VEHICLES.

3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

Patnted Jan. 5, 1897.

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3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

W A; BUTLER. ELEUTRIG PROPULSION 0F VEHICLES. No. 574,388. Patented-Jan. 5,-189'7.

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3 Sheets-Sheet a.

(No Model.)

'W. A. BUTLER. ELEGTRIU PROPULSION 0F VEHICLES- I No. 574,388. Patented Jan. 5, 1897.

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I AT RNEY WITNESSES: VENTOR UNTTED STATES PATENT CrricE.

\VILLIAM A. BUTLER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO JOHN GILMORE BOYD, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC PROPULSlON OF VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 574,388, dated January 5, 1897.

Application filed March 19, 1896. b'erial Nor 542,373. (No modeld section, indicating a locomotive and the forward end of the adjacent car and the collector, circuits, and connections by which my improved system may be carried into operation. Fig. 2 is a detail view showing, partly in section and partly in elevation transverse to the track, an arrangement of conductors, collectors, and the structure by which the conductor is suitably supported above the track. Fig. 3 is adetail sectional view illustratin g the distributing-conductor, the means by which it is supported and insulated, and

.the roller contact connected therewith and from which the current is taken by the collector carried by the car. Fig. i is a detail sectional view indicating that the face of the contact-roller connected with the distributin g-roller and the face of the shoe or collector carried by the car may be corrugated or toothed to secure a rotation of the contactroller as the shoe or collector moves in contact with it. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view illustrating a modification in which the aforesaid contact-roller is normally out of contact with the distributing-conductor butis pressed into contact therewith by the shoe or collector carried by the car. Fig. 6 is a detail view illustrating the aforesaid conductor in full lines in its normal position and in dotted lines in the position it assumes when in contact with the shoe or collector carried by the car.

In the organization illustrated in the drawings I have shown two distributing-conductors A A, insulated and mounted in brackets a, supported upon a cross-beam B, carried by uprights C 0, arranged at the sides of the track, which track may be that of an elevated railroad. The uprights C C may be of wood or they may be of metal and may be metal pipe, in which event it is desirable that suitable insulation, as c, be interposed between the upright and the cross-beam B, which latter, however, is preferably made of Wood. The conductors A A are insulated and preferably armored throughout their length, except at the points within the brackets a. At these points a bar or rod D is attached to the conductor A A, being preferably turned around it and soldered thereto.

The brackets to are made in two parts, as shown, and the interior space therein surrounding the electrical conductor and the conducting-rod connected therewith is filled with insulation, as indicated. The two parts of the bracket are bolted together. The conducting-rod extends through the base of the bracket and cross-beam B, suitable insulation of surrounding it, and is formed with a flange d below the beam and provided with a nut d within the bracket, by means of which it may be firmly clamped in position. The lower end d of the rod is flattened and has therein a bearing for a fixed shaft E, upon which the contact-roller F turns. The opposite end of this shaft is mounted in an insulated bracket G, pendent from the cross-beam. The elongated hubs F of the contact-roller F insure a good electrical contact between the shaft E and roller; but to provide against possible imperfection of contact spring-brushesf are secured to the shaft and bear against the interior wall of the hollow contact-roller. Of course but one conductor A or A may be em- 'ployed and the rails used under proper conditions as the return-conductor. \Vith this organization the distributing conductor or conductors is insulated at all points except where the rods D extend down to the contactrollers F, that are beneath the beams B, which may be made of any suitable width to protect the rollers from contact with other conductors, such as telephone, signaling, and telegraph wires, that might by accident fall across 5 the beams B.

The collectors, shoes, or brushes H may be each pivoted to a pair of telescoping pivoted counterweighted arms H, carried by the car or locomotive, substantially as shown in my I00 Patent No. 523,104, dated July 17, 1894. In the drawings, however, as I show two distribmounted.

- circuit-wire X is shown connected directly to uting-conductors arranged above the track, I may use a single counterweighted pivoted upright H at each end of the car and provide it with a transverse bar II", in the respective ends of which one arm II of each pair is The shoes or collectors are each of sufficient length to make contact with one contactroll I before breaking contact with the preceding one and are curved or turned downwardly at each end for an obvious purpose.

In Fig. 5 the conducting-rod D terminates in a forked contact-plate D, below which the contact'roller F is mounted in blocks G, sliding in the forks of insulated brackets G and normally pressed downwardly to hold the roller away from the contact I). hen the shoe II strikes the roller, the blocks slide in the forks of the brackets and the roller is pressed against the contact D. The conductors or circuit-wires X X are carried down from the shoes II in any usual or appropriate manner.

The organization thus far described is an appropriate one for carrying curren t to a traveling car or locomotive and possesses points of novelty in structure and elements of safety.

In Fig. 1, K indicates a steam-locomotive having a boiler Ii, preferably well covered with heat-insulating material K to prevent loss of heat by radiation, that may be inclosed in an external shell K of sheet-iron. Steam is to be raised in the boiler by heat developed in heating-00nductors M, located in the boiler and submerged in the water therein. An y wellknown system of electrical heating for this purpose may be employed. In the drawings the conductors M are wound spirally around rods of insulating material supported longitudinally in the water-space of the boiler. Any appropriate arrangement of heatirig-conductors, either in series, parallel, or seriesparallel, may be employed. M is an ordinary resistance-box, to the lever of which one of the circuit-wires X runs. The other the heating-conductor in the boiler.

Lighting-conductors w :0, controlled by a switch S, may be run through the train, s representing their couplings.

In Fig. 1, Q, Q indicate water-tanks arranged one at each side of the cab.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of the overhead structu re, consisting of uprights C and cross-beams 13, positive and negative distribu tin g-cond. uctors A A, supported at intervals by and above the cross-beams B and insulated between such points of support, a series of contact-rollers i for each conductor, each permanently elec- 6o trically connected with it and located beneath one of such cross-beams, a track or way running parallel with the lines in which such contact-rollers are arranged, vertically-yielding elongated contact-shoes, one for each se tics of rollers, carried by a vehicle traveling upon such track or way, and circuit connections extending from each shoe to the vehicle, the organization being such that each shoe makes contact with one of the rollers of its series before leaving another, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of two overhead eond uctors supported at intervals and insulated between supports, a contact arranged at each support and electrically connected with its conductor, a traveling vehicle, two yielding vertical arms II. carried by the vehicle, a crossbar carried by each arm, vertical telescoping supports arranged at each end of the cross-bar, and two elongated contactshoes respectively pivot-ally connected with the telescoping supports, on correspomling ends of the cross-bars, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of a track or way, a vchiele traveling thereon, a yielding elongated eolleetingshoc carried by the car, a distributing-conductor, supports therefor arranged above the track, the conductor being insulated between such supports, a ctmtact-roller mounted to rotate upon a fixed shaft, whose support is electrically connected with the distrihitting-conductor and contact-brushes attached to the shaft with in the roller, and rubbing against the interior face of the roller, substantially as set forth.

l. The combination of the supportingbeams 13, the distributing-conductor, the brackets mounted thereupon and within which the conductor is supported, insulation covering the conductor between said brackets, and insulation enveloping the conductor within the brackets a conducting-rod electrically connected with the conductor within the bracket and extending therefrom through the cross-beam, a shaft having one end mounted in the end of said coiulucting-rod, and the other end in an insulated bracket or support depending from the under side of the crossbeam, and a contact-roller revolving upon said shaft.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

WILllIAill A. l 5 i '1 MG 1%. lVitnesses:

EDWARD (J. DAVIDSON, Jou'N McCt-tnrn'v.

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